37 Best Casual Games to Play While You Relax

In the world of video games, there are two major types of players: hardcore gamers and casual gamers. The former is praised as the more “true gamer,” but that’s a meaningless specification. If you’re not looking to grind and sweat your way through a title, we’ve picked some of the best casual games to play while you kick your feet up.

#37 Princess Peach: Showtime!

Platform: Switch
Release Date: March 22, 2024

Nintendo

It’s been quite a while since Princess Peach had her own adventure not tied to Mario and the others of the Mushroom Kingdom. Princess Peach Showtime is here to fix that error!

In the Nintendo Switch title, Peach and her Toads are trapped within a theater thanks to the influence of Grape and the Sour Bunch. But with help from a new friend, she’ll get the ability to wear special costumes that’ll turn her into a detective, a kung fu master, an anime protagonist, and more!

With these costumes, you’ll traverse the theater and defeat the Sour Bunch so that the day can be saved!

#36 Portal: Revolution

Platform: PC
Release Date: January 6, 2024
Steam

Are you looking for a truly challenging and mind-bending puzzle platformer to enjoy? Possibly one that was made by fans with tender loving care instead of a company that “doesn’t make games anymore?” Well, you’re in luck! We present to you Portal Revolution.

This fan-made game, using the official community engine from the series’ second entry, brings together everything you would expect from a new entry but has fun by making original puzzles, areas, and a new story to dive into.

What challenges await? You’ll have to play to find out! So what are you waiting for? Don’t you want to see what these fans did in this world?

#35 Disney Dreamlight Valley

Platform: PS4 PS5 Xbox One XSX|S PC Switch
Release Date: December 05, 2023

Steam | PlayStation | Xbox | Nintendo

Look, we live in a gaming age where a TON of people take things like video games way too seriously. That’s why “casual games” exist. They’re meant to let people relax and enjoy a fun time while not stressing too much about the plot or gameplay.

Disney Dreamlight Valley is one such title for those who want to enjoy a Disney title without having to do too much work.

You can explore the valley and free it from a curse that will allow Disney/Pixar characters to roam free within it. Then, you can build up a house for yourself, decorate it however you’d like, and see what awaits you in this magical place.

#34 My Time at Sandrock

Platform: PC PS5 Xbox One XSX|S Switch
Release Date: November 02, 2023

Steam | PlayStation | Xbox | Nintendo

There are a few farming and crafting simulator games out there that might pique your interest. One of those could have been My Time At Portia. Well, now you have a sequel installment, My Time At Sandrock. The game is very similar if you’re familiar with the first installment. Players here are a builder who finds a small oasis town called Sandrock. The goal is to rebuild the area in this desert environment. That means gathering resources, farming out the land, crafting tools, and interacting with the folks around town. It’s a casual gameplay experience and one that might be well worth investing in if you already enjoyed the first game. 

#33 Super Mario RPG

Platform: November 17, 2023
Release Date: Switch

Nintendo

The Super Mario RPG remake is a game many years in the making. After all, the title came out originally during the SNES era and put Mario on the RPG path that he would stay on for years!

The game takes place in the Mushroom Kingdom, where, after a fateful battle with Bowser, Mario gets waylaid by a group known as the Smithy Gang! Now, he must fight back after getting new allies, including a star spirit, a living cloud, a familiar princess, and even Bowser!

With upgraded looks and mechanics, the game will be better than ever! You won’t want to miss this, that’s for sure.

#32 Sonic Superstars

Platform: PC PS5 XSX|S Switch
Release Date: October 17, 2023

Steam | PlayStation | Xbox | Nintendo

Sonic Superstars is another platformer to take on the beloved Sonic franchise. It’s here we’re tossed into the new mystical Northstar Islands as either Sonic, Tails, Amy, or Knuckles. Just as before, we’re going through several stages collecting rings, battling enemies, and, most importantly, trying to stop the evil Dr. Egman. It looks like Dr. Eggman is again up to no good as he turns the island animals into Badniks, so Sonic and his friends must race through the various levels at record-breaking speeds to foil Eggman’s plans before it’s too late. If you played some of the classic Sonic The Hedgehog games in the past, you should have no problem picking this game up and going through it today.

#31 We Were Here Expeditions: The Friendship

Platform: PC PS4 Xbox One PS5 XSX|S
Release Date: September 14, 2023

Steam | PlayStation | Xbox

If you’re familiar with this franchise, you know that things aren’t going to be as simple as they might want you to think.

We Were Here Expeditions: The Friendship is a co-op puzzle adventure game with horror elements where you and a partner will need to work together to work your way through a mysterious place that you’ve ended up in.

Your “boat ride” won’t go far if you can’t work as one and get through the puzzling challenges. So, how strong IS your friendship, and can you make it work for you in the long run? Either way, you’re about to find out!

#30 Arrow a Row

Platform: PC
Release Date: August 20, 2023

Steam

Who doesn’t love an endless runner? They’re simple to do and fun to play when done right, and you can always go back to it for some simple fun.

In Arrow A Row, you’ll play as an archer. Shocking, we know. Said archer will go down a row and have to shoot their arrow to defeat enemies and eliminate obstacles. You, the player, will only need to move left or right for most of the game. But you can also power up your weaponry to damage foes more and showcase just how good an archer you are.

With multiple modes to do, your playtime could be endless.

#29 Brotato

Platform: PC JUNE 23, 2023
Release Date: SWITCH AUGUST 03, 2023

Steam | Nintendo

While not as popular as before, thanks to modern technology innovations, the top-down shooter is still a classic genre many people enjoy. In fact, thanks to certain “survivor” titles, one could make the fair argument that it’s going through a bit of a resurgence. One title that is banking off of that is Brotato.

The title puts you as the titular Brotato, who comes from Potato World, because, of course, he does. But Brotato is not having a good time as he’s crash-landed on a world full of deadly creatures! Now, the potato must fight back with various weapons to try and last long enough to get rescued.

Do you think you can survive this task?

#28 Pineapple on pizza

Platform: PC
Release Date: March 28, 2023

Steam

Generically speaking, putting pineapple on a pizza is simply a terrible idea. Pizza is magnificent with actually understandable toppings. Why put something that doesn’t belong on it? Exactly.

Oh, we’re talking about the game Pineapple on Pizza? Well, ironically, they have the same feelings as we do. The game is about trying to capture the “flavor” of eating a pizza with pineapples on it. As in, it ruins everything, which is what you’ll have to do!

You’ll go to a dance party and do everything you can to ruin it. Why? Because it’s fun when you do it! So be the pineapple, and ruin everything you come into contact with!

#27 HUMANITY

Platform: PC, PS4, PS5
Release Date: May 16, 2023

Steam | Playstation

Picture right now a group of people. A truly massive mass of people that need to get somewhere but can’t get there on their own. Who can save them in their time of need? You, of course. But who are you? In Humanity, you are a dog, and you need to be a “good boy” to get the people to salvation.

Carefully lead them through 90 levels full of twists, turns, and guided sections so that they can make it to the next path. The visuals will be quite stunning as you watch the people behind you take the steps you’ve already taken.

Then, lead your people against bosses that wish to inhibit your progress! Can you lead them to the end?

#26 The Murder of Sonic The Hedgehog

Platform: PC
Release Date: March 31, 2023

Steam

Sonic The Hedgehog finally seems to be going through the renaissance that fans have been begging for. Between the fan-made title, the new “Frontiers” he’s gone on last year, and the upcoming title with all the “Superstars,” you can feel things finally turning around.

But if you want another single-player twist on the series, get The Murder of Sonic The Hedgehog! The game features you as one of Sonic’s friends after they board a murder mystery train for Amy Rose’s birthday. But as you can guess, things aren’t quite what they appear. Or are they?

With Sonic “dead,” you must find out the truth! Search for clues, interrogate the witnesses, and find the killer!

#25 Bombergrounds: Reborn

Platform: PC
Release date: October 06, 2022

How about a game that’ll be a blast? Puns aside, Bombergrounds: Reborn is a party game meant for those who want to play with friends and have a chaotic time while doing it. The game will let you pick one of several animal characters, each with special abilities.

Once you’ve assembled, you’ll go at it to see who can come out on top. Using a bat, bombs, and your abilities, everything is possible and on the table. Additionally, there are multiple modes you can do in the game, so the fun won’t stop even when one of you wins.

So jump in and see how much you can blow up your friends!

#24 Coral Island

Platform: PC
Release date: October 11, 2022

There are plenty of “escape” games where you’re tasked with heading to a new area to start a new life. But in Coral Island, they try to change things by giving you a farm to build and an area to restore. So on the titular Coral Island, you’ll help build up the local town and save the nearby reefs while making a farm that you can be proud of.

The more you do, the more resources you’ll have access to. Plus, the longer you stay around, the more you can build bonds with the people of the town and beyond. You might even be able to ask one of them out if you’re lucky!

#23 Vampire Survivors

Platform: PC Xbox One XSX|S
Release date: 2022

Can you survive vampires? That would depend on various things, obviously. But In the game Vampire Survivors, your death is certain, yet that doesn’t mean you won’t go down without a fight!

The game puts you in the thralls of a vampiric death sentence, and you’ll have to fight off the winged monsters as best you can until you eventually die. When you die, that’s not the end. Instead, you’ll use the money and items you collected along the way to help power up the next character you play.

The better you do, the more you can pass on to the next life. So see how well you do, and then see if you can do better the next time.

#22 Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator

Platform: PC Xbox One
Release date: December 13, 2022

In the days of old, people would mix many kinds of concoctions to try and brew something special. In Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator, it’s your turn to get behind the vials and see what you can whip up.

The fun twist of the game is that it’s not as simple as it looks. Even if you make a potion correctly once, you’ll have to do it multiple times to become a master at it.

Plus, you can make potions to do nothing more than screw with people and make money. Or you can be a charitable potion maker and try to save everyone with your methods. Your choice.

#21 Marvel Snap

Platforms: PC
Release: October 18, 2022

If you’re looking to get into the latest trend in mobile games, you need to try Marvel Snap. The game took the world by storm when it was first released, and it’s not stopping anytime soon.

In the game, you’ll compile a deck of your favorite Marvel characters and battle on an ever-shifting field to see if you can come out on top! But it’s not just the heroes you’ll get to play with. Throw in some of the biggest villains of the universe, or bring in some supporting characters to help power your crew up!

If you’re feeling bold, try to make your opponent “SNAP” so you can get bigger rewards!

#20 Human Fall Flat

Starting out with one of the most casual titles you can find on the market today, Human Fall Flat is meant to be a lighthearted physics platformer. Players will make their own unique human and figure out how to move them around using various items and tools. By using the ‘law of attraction,’ you’ll solve a collection of fun puzzles and have a blast.

#19 House Flipper

Ever wanted to take on a fixer-upper in real life, but just never had the time to do it? Well, House Flipper brings that experience to gamers’ homes all across the world. Just as the name implies, players will purchase run-down homes, and fix them up with new lighting, paint jobs, and furniture.

Players will also need to clean the house up a bit before adding all the decor needed to make this one a top seller in their neighborhood. Once players make a name for themselves and earn a bit of money, flipping houses becomes easier and much more fun!

#18 Unpacking

When you enter a new home, the hardest thing to do is unpack. Trying to find a spot for everything while keeping things neat and cozy is easier said than done. Unpacking turns this normally annoying part of life into a relaxing title complete with chill music and satisfying sound effects. In this tile, it’s your job to unpack everything in every room and make sure that everything fits. Single rooms, small houses, and mansions appear in this puzzle game, so test your skills!

#17 Pummel Party

For those who want to destroy every single friendship they have in the most over-the-top and violent way possible, Pummel Party is for you. Why? In this game, you and up to seven other players will be put into various areas and be tasked with literally beating the crap out of one another in the most hilarious of ways. You’ll have a variety of weapons and maps to choose from, and the goal is the same every time–pummel your enemies into submission. Be sneaky or be loud, but either way, let out your rage.

#16 Euro Truck Simulator 2

If you’re looking for something a bit more low-key, check out Euro Truck Simulator 2. Drive across Europe and deliver cargo–that’s it. This game takes you to both cities and the countryside as you run your own business, constantly growing and expanding. Enjoy the views of the road and upgrade your truck so you can do more, all while having a nice and casual driving experience.

#15 Gang Beasts

We’ve already shown you one fighting game for you and your friends, but this one channels The Three Stooges. In Gang Beasts, you’ll be in control of strange people who are a bit more rubber in their form and how they move. What this means is that the fights are meant to be as funny as they are chaotic. In each level, you’ll try to overcome your foes, but things won’t exactly go the way you think they will. Hey, that makes it all the more fun to watch.

#14 Golf It!

There are plenty of golf games out there, but if you’re just wanting a simple title to enjoy with your friends, then Golf It! is definitely the one you want to check out. In this game, you’ll be given access to six courses, each with its own theme. If you’re looking for something more creative, there’s a multiplayer map editor where you can make your own courses, so grab your 3-iron and go nuts!

#13 Farm Together

Farm Together looks adorable and plays very much how you’d expect a farming simulator to play. In the game, you’ll be given a plot of land and you must do your best to make it grow into something special. Choose the crops you want to grow, work the land, and make it shine. It’s not just about the crops–you’ll also get to build your own house and design your avatar. Add to that a pet and plenty of exploration, and you’re in for a great time.

#12 American Truck Simulator

We could tell that some of you were feeling left out with our last truck simulator game, so fear not! American Truck Simulator is here. In this title, you’ll be driving across key states in the Western US like California, Nevada, and Arizona while getting to experience great landmarks along the way. The truck that you’re driving is basically your home, to the extent that you’ll have the ability to upgrade it and make it your own.

#11 Mini Motorways

If there’s one thing that people everywhere hate, it’s traffic. There’s nothing worse than being stuck in it, and everyone wishes they could just make a different path to get to where they want to go. In Mini Motorways, you’ll actually be able to do just that.

Players are put into a city and instructed to make a roadway, then another, then another. As you keep growing the city and its roadways, it’s your job to make sure that traffic doesn’t clog up. So don’t just make a path–make one that works and keeps the traffic flowing.

#10 Cooking Simulator

Have you ever watched one of those cooking shows and wondered if you could do that for real? Cooking Simulator might be your way of trying it out without having to buy a ton of tools and put your kitchen at risk. In this game, you’ll be in charge of your own kitchen, and using physics-based actions, you’ll need to cook and prepare all sorts of ingredients so that you can make all sorts of recipes for your hungry patrons! Push yourself to greatness via the career mode or play around in sandbox mode. Either way, you’re going to be cooking up a storm.

#9 Coffee Talk

A game almost like no other, Coffee Talk is all about listening to the customer’s problems in life, all while serving up a mean cup of joe. Players will help them overcome these problems by serving up a little cup of sunshine with the ingredients they have on hand.

The game showcases the relationship between a barista and her customers, who gives them the sweet familiar escape of a sweet cup of coffee. The game tells a story as a visual novel, only giving players control of making the customers drink orders properly. Most of the game is spent just watching the story unfold, leaving the players’ minds to simmer down after a long day on the grind.

#8 The Jackbox Party Pack

You’re probably already very familiar with this title if you play games with friends. If you can’t get your buddies together to play some board games in person, this is the next best thing. There are a wide variety of little games that are included in each pack, and as a result, you’ll find new ways to enjoy time with your besties. Check out the different games in each pack and find out how much fun you can have.

#7 Pico Park

The best multiplayer games out there are the ones that force you to work together in unique and fun ways. Pico Park does that in a way that still feels casual.

The whole gist is to get the keys from every level and move to the next. The difficulty comes from needing to work together to make it through the special gimmicks that the game throws at you. You can play this game with your friend via co-op or with strangers online via Steam.

#6 Stick Fight: The Game

If you think that this is just a game where you’re fighting with a bunch of sticks, you’d be wrong. In this game, you’re going to be fighting as a bunch of stick figures. In this game, you’ll get to battle against a couple of your friends in some of the most intense stick figure battles you’re ever going to see. With over 100 levels, loads of weapons for you to wield, and a community level builder, this title manages to cram in plenty of variety.

#5 Overcooked! 2

It’s worth bringing up Overcooked 2 as well. Just like the first installment, the second game has been enhanced in a number of noticeable ways. Players have new kitchens to work with, new obstacles, and even a new mechanic which allows players to throw ingredients and dishes to each other. Likewise, there is the added benefit of online multiplayer, making it easier to connect with friends and family for some seriously stressful cooking action. If you picked up the first game and found it fun, give the sequel a chance. With that said, you could skip out on Overcooked and move right on to Overcooked 2 without any issues.

#4 Among Us

We might be cheating a little bit with this one. Anyone who has played Among Us knows that while it may be set up as a casual game, it soon devolves into an intense murder mystery where everyone is trying to stay alive. Still, given the grand amount of people who have played this game, you’ll find that there is plenty of chill fun to be had here. Go through the different maps and try to use your own deductive reasoning skills in order to figure out who is truly sus and who is innocent.

#3 Cities: Skylines

Admittedly, there is a lot of work to do once you jump into Cities: Skylines, but there is plenty of casual fun to be had. Players build the city of their dreams, constantly constructing and tweaking until things look just right. There’s no rush here, and it’s a great title to play after a long day at the office. Want to start over? Go ahead. With endless replayability, this one comes in close to the top of the list.

#2 The Sims 4

What is more casual than The Sims? The original life simulator, The Sims 4 is the newest installment and invites players to design a character, design a home, get a job, get out on the dating scene, and plenty more. With countless expansions and DLC packs available, there’s a reason why it’s been so popular for so long.

#1 Stardew Valley

Some out there might say that Stardew Valley isn’t a casual game because of all the work you can put into it. The decision to do this, however, is up to the player. Designed by one incredible developer, this farming sim asks players to take it easy while bringing a farm back from the brink, getting to know the townsfolk, and enjoying one of the most gentle soundtracks in gaming. Just pick it up and do anything you’d like.